


Caught In A Web

by Elillierose



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Blood, Budding Love, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Poison, Poisoning, Romance, Sickfic, Unrequited Love, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-24 13:36:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16641162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elillierose/pseuds/Elillierose
Summary: Sanji isn’t the most subtle with his feelings towards Zoro. However, the infatuation is not mutual and words are exchanged, causing Sanji to make his leave to cool off. But, when he’s gone longer than seems right, Zoro goes after him only to find him in a dangerous situation. The near death has the swordsman rethinking his feelings.





	1. Bound and Troubled

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7 of MarimoCookWeek - Unrequited Love
> 
> Beta read by: [markofthemoros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/markofthemoros/pseuds/markofthemoros) and [DragonRiderSayomi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRiderSayomi/pseuds/DragonRiderSayomi)
> 
> My [Tumblr](http://elillierose.tumblr.com/)  
> And my [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/Elillierose)

Carefully, with hands as steady as could be, Sanji placed the last strawberry lovingly between its two blueberry brethren. And, just like that, it was complete. He took a step back to admire his handiwork. The icing was flawless, and cake a pristine fluffiness. His heart fluttered nervously in his chest as he imagined the recipient’s face upon receiving such a gift. He could already see the expression of gratitude. Gently placing a fork next to the dessert and plucked the plate from the counter.

Pushing the door open, the blond’s gaze was instantly on the hunt. It took only a matter of seconds for him to seek out that unmistakable tuft of green; Zoro sat, in his usual spot. Unsurprisingly, and even from this distance, the chef could see the man deep in sleep. Come to think of it, he didn’t think the swordsman had moved an inch from when he saw him a few hours ago.

Sanji covered half the distance in just a few, well-placed bounds. The rest was crossed in much a similar fashion. 

As if sensing the blond’s presence, Zoro cracked his eye open. The molten orb flicked from Sanji to the plate in his hand, then back again. “Need somethin’?” he sighed. He made no move, just sat there with his back pressed against the railing.

“Your favorite,” Sanji announced, leaning just enough for the treat to be fully visible. “You skipped breakfast...again.” He tried not to sound too annoyed, but he did a piss poor job of shielding his tone. “So, thought it was better to have something rather than nothing.” ‘Skipped’ wasn’t quite the right word, though. It was more along the lines of slept through it.

Zoro took a deep breath, catching the scent of the cake as well. Without thought, he reached out a hand and accepted. Tentatively, he took a bite and found his eye slightly widening at the taste. He didn’t care how much of the chef’s cooking he tried, it truly never ceased to amaze him how out of that world it was.

“Not bad,” he muttered though.

Despite his cool and collected words, Sanji could see through the nonchalance. The sparkle in the man’s eye was all he needed for his chest to sing with satisfaction.

The swordsman glanced up again, only to see the blond’s stare - filled with an almost dazed expression - still resting on him. He paused, fork halfway to his mouth before he lowered it back. “What? Plan on watching me eat it or something?” His voice came out a little snippier than he meant it to. 

The swordsman only barely missed the quick flash of pinkish hue across the other’s face. It was swiftly hidden when he turned around. “Sorry, just making sure it was good,” he muttered, waving a dismissive hand. “Damn, always on the defensive.”

Sanji heard the man mumble something else under his breath, but he thoroughly ignored it. Bastard was likely just being an unappreciative dick again. So, nothing new there. Yet, the chef could never find himself being truly frustrated about it. In a weird, normal sort of way, it was endearing. And dare he say, charming. Again, in a weird way. To be honest, he’d be more off put or concerned if the man were suddenly overly thoughtful. Zoro was tough-skinned and rough around the edges, but it’s just how he was and he had his own unique ways of letting his emotions shine through.

No, none of his harsh words or standoffish behavior bothered Sanji. They did to start with, though. But, he’s learned to take them in stride.

He strolled a good distance away, to the other side of the ship, where he leaned against the railing. His cigarette sat loosely between his lips as his arms crossed over the wooden support. With a heavy sigh, he stared out at the endless blue. He still couldn’t believe, that even after two years, all of them were able to be reunited. Not only that, but function and continue on as if there were no hitch in their journey. Everyone was just as they were when they were separated...well, aside from a few cosmetic changes for some.

His mind wandered, back to before, before they got to experience their own lone adventures. He still remembered the last time he saw Zoro the moment before he got sent away. He then glanced to the man now. There were over a million differences he could point out: the more toned physique, the sharper gaze and more confident way he carried himself. Those were just to name a few. And yet, somehow, he was still the same idiotic mosshead he’d always been.

Sanji was only snapped back to his senses when something fell onto one of his hands. Blinking back into reality, the blond glanced down at the pile of ashes that now rested on the back of his hand.

With a low scoff, he shook the particles away before plucking the cigarette from his lips and flicked it into the sea. With a deep breath, he started to pull away just in time to hear their navigator cry out:

“Just up ahead! I can see it!” 

Sanji looked to the redhead and then followed her gaze. And, sure enough, there it was, the next island on their journey. It was still so far away, but even from here he could see the canopy of trees, towering high above the land mass. They were absolutely gigantic; he couldn’t even imagine their true size once they were under them.

His body moving on its own, he didn’t even realize he had lit another smoke until he was blowing a steady stream out. Looking at the island now, his mind couldn't help but drift back to Little Garden. How oversized that place was, the giants, the creatures and habitat that should have been long since extinct. He couldn’t help but wonder if this was going to be the same, or if not, then similar.

The corner of his mouth turned up slightly at the thought. This was sure to be interesting.

* * *

 

Zoro leaned against the rail, one leg crossed in front of the other as he gave the place a quick glance over. He, too, was starting to get some major familiar vibes. And, to be honest, he wasn’t quite sure how he felt about it. Maybe the creatures here would be able to kill some of his pent up boredom if nothing else. His hand drifted from the wood to the hilt of his sword at the thought, and the corner of his mouth twitched in anticipation.

His other fingers tightened their grip slightly as a slim figure stepped up next to him. He glanced over just as Sanji leaned next to him. “Looks uninhabited,” he sighed as he scanned the shore.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” the swordsman agreed. He craned his neck in an attempt to see the top of the forest. He swore, the trunks had to be at least twenty feet in diameter. Likely more. His eye darted from one spot to other; he could practically  _ feel _ things moving about...watching them. Zoro suppressed a shudder.

“What’s wrong?” the chef asked, not missing the subtle, sudden tremble in the other man’s shoulders.

The swordsman shook his head. “Nothing,” he mumbled, but his attention never drifted from the treeline. His brows were furrowed still as his hand slowly retracted from his weapon so he could rest his arm back on the rail. “I think I’m going to head out,” he muttered under his breath and pushed himself away, turning on his heel.

“Hold up,” the chef called out. He reached out to grab the man’s shoulder, but quickly pulled back before his fingers could make contact.

“Hmm?”

Sanji blinked once, and chewed on the inside of his cheek for a second. “You’re just gonna wander out there?” he questioned, brow raised in amusement.

Zoro’s jaw tightened. “Yeah, why? Does it matter?”

Sanji inhaled deeply before blowing out a puff of smoke. “No, nothing at all,” he started. There was only a fraction of a pause, then, “Just, you know, don’t wanna have to come looking for your ass when you undoubtedly get lost out there.”

The swordsman scoffed and took a step towards the blond. “Since when did you become my keeper?”

“What, is it so bad for me to prefer we all be cautious in a place we don’t know? I’m just sayin’ maybe it’s best you don’t go by yourself, ya dumbass.” Sanji felt his pulse increasing a small amount. Why? He had no idea.

Zoro’s gaze swiftly turned to a glare. It was a surprise it took as long as it did for his temper towards the chef to come through, really. “I can handle myself, unlike a certain useless cook,” he assured. He folded his arms with a small smile, “Unlike someone, I don’t nearly die from fuckin’ nosebleeds.”

Sanji instantly drew back, a hand reaching towards his face unconsciously and his cheeks tinged a degree of pink. His brow lowered as his teeth grit. “You know what, whatever, do whatever the hell you want.” He waved a dismissive hand as he strode past the swordsman. “Get lost to your heart’s content.”

The larger man watched as the other made his way towards the ladder. “And what, it’s okay for you to go out alone?”

The chef, without hesitation, made sure to show his response with a flip of the bird. Nothing more, nothing less. Instead, Zoro kept his hands balled at his sides and teeth pressed together as he watched the man take his leave. “Damn idiot,” he muttered, making sure to walk in the other direction. A part of him wanted to go after the blond and put him in his place or something, but he restrained himself.

Frustrated, he dropped to the grass and leaned his back against the outside wall of the kitchen. He closed his eye, already yawning. His desire to go kill some things had been soured. He leaned his head back and let his weary eye slip closed.

Zoro let out a slow exhale as his head began to feel light and he could feel himself drifting. He was sure it took less than five seconds for the real world to start fading from his senses.

As he dozed, his mind was pestered by unwelcomed thoughts of the cook. Him and his snarky attitude, acting like he knew what was best for Zoro, pretending like he cared about him. Please, he knew better than that. The only thing that idiot cared about was his kitchen and women. The more he grumbled under his breath, the more the image of Sanji more than occasionally handing him ‘special’ treats entered his mind. He hadn’t really thought about it until now...but that was becoming a more frequent occurrence. And the man’s hovering, that too was starting to happen more often than not.

_ ‘Damn annoying is what it is,’  _ he thought to himself with a partial snort.

This went on for a while. Every time he tried to think about something else, his mind kept returning to those. He grumbled incoherently to himself when it came to the point where he couldn’t even think about anything else. Even in his brain, the cook was persistent and irritating.

Frustration getting the better of him, Zoro finally snapped his eye open. For a moment, he was taken aback by confusion. The sun was quite a bit lower than it previously was. But, surely that much time hadn’t passed. With a deep breath and a cringe as his back popped multiple times, Zoro got to his feet. 

The swordsman stretched and glanced around; out of the corner of his eye, he caught the window to the kitchen. Strange, as dark as it was getting, no light was filtering out. Curious, he took a step closer and peered in.

Nothing.

He scratched the back of his neck and grunted. “Still not back...and I’m the one who gets lost, huh?”

There was a small chuckle at the thought of rubbing this in the man’s face the moment he got back. Speaking of...how long had it even been? He looked to the sky; it was starting to creep into the evening. It had to have been at least seven hours then. Far longer than he cared to admit made him uncomfortable.

Seven hours.

He glanced back to the woods and instantly got another shiver down his spine. For a moment, but no longer than that, the pit of his stomach dropped. “Where are you?”

“Something on your mind?”

The man jumped at Robin’s inquiry. When did she sneak up on him? More importantly, how? Actually, he didn’t really care enough. “Damn curly-brow,” he muttered, staring out. “Has he come back yet?”

The woman’s eyes narrowed. “I was not aware he had left. Whe-” her word was cut of as the swordsman made his way towards the railing. “Where are you going?”

“I’m gonna drag his ass back.”

He wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard the faint sound of an amused chuckle as he jumped over the edge of the ship. Now the he thought about it, the others were gone as well. Did he actually sleep through the whole crew leaving? He shook his head, no reason to worry about that; knowing his captain, he probably dragged them all around.

The moment he stepped under the canopy, it was as if the leaves themselves absorbed all light that tried to get through. He could barely see more than a few yards in front of him clearly. Everything beyond that was no more than silhouettes. As he walked, he kept craning his neck from one side to the other, as if the blond would be there anywhere.

Of course, no such luck.

Now that he thought about it, there was no telling how large this island was, and there was no guarantee that Sanji even went in a straight line. Then again - as much as he didn’t want to even consider it - he wasn’t sure if  _ he  _ was still going the same direction.

“Hey...shithead!” he called out, only to get his resounding voice back. He folded his arms as he walked, keeping as sharp an eye out as he could for the chef. He opened his mouth to call out again; there was barely a vibration in his throat when he froze. A strange, prickling sensation ran up his spine. Before he could think about it, he was turned around, one blade drawn.

The swordsman was greeted with emptiness. He didn’t let down his guard though. Something was definitely there somewhere. Zoro resheathed his sword, but he kept his hand firmly on the hilt, his shoulders remained tense.

He really was not liking this place.

Couldn’t see a damn thing and it was nearly impossible to tell what was where based on all the sounds being produced. He had no doubt this place was infested with wildlife. It was definitely dark and chilly enough for God knows what. Now he was just surprised Sanji stayed out here as long as he did. The first sign of some sort of oversized bug and he should have been hauling his ass back to the ship.

Zoro rolled his eye. “Hey! Sanji!” he tried again, pausing to hear his voice bounce off the trees. Again, nothing but various sounds of skittering, making his skin crawl again. For a moment, the idea of going back and letting the blond come back on his own crossed his mind.

He would have too if it weren’t for the fact that something was nagging the back of his thoughts. 

Something was wrong.

He continued, pace faster. And he just prayed he wasn’t getting himself lost in the process. That really wouldn’t have been of any use to anyone then. Soon enough, his fast walk progressed into a full on sprint. All the while, he called out. His nerves were swiftly getting the better of him when each cry was only replied with by his own voice echoing back.

Zoro allowed his legs and instinct to completely take over while all his other senses focused on seeking out Sanji. His lungs burned, but he didn’t slow down. He didn’t want to think about what possible danger the idiot could have gotten himself into.

“Sanji! Where the hell are yo- What!?” he blurted as his leg caught on something. He glanced down, but saw nothing. Grunting, he gave the limb a tug. As he did so, he was able to make out a glimmer as light reflected off something silken. “The hell?” He yanked again, but this time there was less give, like the string had tightened. Was that…?

The swordsman pulled out one of his blades, and in one swell swoop, sliced cleanly through. He watched as the severed strand drifted to the ground. Zoro swallowed thickly as he crouched and plucked it to get a better look.

“A web?” he wondered aloud. It was rather thick to be from a normal spider though...and incredibly sticky. The other end was still stuck to his leg, and it took more than a simple tug to loosen it.

Now his insides were really fluttering.

“Dammit,” he ground out, running once more with renewed vigor. There was no question whether he was being watched anymore, that much was perfectly clear. There were definitely things out there, observing his every move; waiting.

He had to find the dumbass.

Zoro didn’t get to make it much farther for his leg to be caught again...and his other one as well. He shifted, turning his upper body only to realize one of his arms and half his chest was entangled too. A tight hiss escaped over his lips as he struggled, only to make matters worse.

“Son of a…” he yanked his arm, only managing to make himself more agitated, “bitch!” He was getting nowhere. He already knew what he would have to go and he was already reaching for his hilt when he felt a tremor run through the web and through his body. His breathing hitched painfully as he looked out of the corner of his eye.

The only thing he noticed were eyes...eight staring towards him. His own single one widened. Then there was something more pressing that had his attention. Something more troubling than the arachnid’s revealed fangs. It was standing over something, in the middle of binding its next meal in web. As covered as it was, there was no mistaking that all too familiar face peeking through. Zoro’s heart constricted,

“S-Sanji?”


	2. That Look

“S-Sanji?” Zoro whispered, eyes locked on the blond’s pallid features.

He wasn’t moving.

They had to get out of there. The swordsman looked back to their captor as it scurried towards him...fast. There wasn’t time to cut himself free in time. The man let out a string of swears as he worked his sword into his hand as best he could. Once it was situated, he held it down and waited...and waited. The whole time, he watched the spider, never letting his eye wander.

With his limited movement, he couldn’t really afford missing his chance. Zoro held his breath until the creature was practically standing over him. Close enough for him to see his reflection in all eight eyes.

It slowed once it got closer as it inspected its new prey. Chills rose to Zoro’s skin when a few leg hairs tickled over his face. glance over him. One leg on that thing was nearly as long as he was tall. 

‘ _ Not yet,’ _ he told himself as his fingers twitched in anticipation. His sword was feeling heavier by the second.

It drew even closer as it completely blocked out what little light was getting through. He could barely see, but the glint in its black orbs were more than enough to go by. Slowly, he reeled back, and he knew it was preparing to strike. The telltale was the shine on its fangs as toxins secreted. 

A sudden shift in direction.

_ Now. _

Zoro flicked his blade up, just as the creature struck. With its momentum, by the time it felt the prick of the tip, it was too late to pull back. The swordsman turned his head to the side as a pained wail emitted and a putrid substance rained down on him. The legs brushed over his torso as it fell, limply, to the ground. As it rolled, it snatched his sword from his grasp.

“Shit,” he ground out. Good thing there were two more to choose from. Slowly, careful not to let it slip, Zoro took another. It took a bit of maneuvering, but soon enough he was able to twist pinch the back of the blade. Gingerly, he worked the blade until his fingers were nearing the tip, then took the hilt in his mouth.

This made things a bit easier as he turned his head to the side, just enough for him to have a clear view of Sanji. The man still hadn’t moved. Placing the edge to the silk, he flicked his head back, cleanly slicing through a good chunk of the web. He repeated this process until he finally had his entire right arm freed.

Once that was done, the rest came easier. In a matter of a couple minutes, he was standing back on solid ground. With a sigh of relief, he looked back to the blond, who was towards the center of the web. He had to have been dragged up there - probably was after he was caught.

Zoro slashed once more with his blade. This time, with full control of his body, he was able to cut the entire top portion of the trap. This caused the rest to fall, including everything attached. He was ready though, waiting as the bundled form fell right into his ready arms.

“Gotcha,” he muttered as the other plopped into his hold.

He didn’t wait as he placed the cook down. Everything was wrapped aside from the shoulders up. There were a few strands above that point though. For a moment, Zoro’s hands hovered and mouth fell slightly agape. 

Sanji was so pale…

And there was a tinge of blue on his lips. And there was still no movement. Not even...not even his chest. “Fuck,” Zoro mouthed, taking his sword and sliding it along the silk, careful not to cut any deeper than necessary. He peeled the casing away. He paused though, once he got a full few of the chef’s torso. It didn’t take an expert to see the problem. The swordsman swore again as his eye locked onto the puncture wound in Sanji’s chest...far too close to where his heart was. He didn’t know if he should be concerned or relieved by the fact that there was no blood spilling over. 

“Sanji?” he muttered, patting the man lightly on the cheek. It was slightly cold. And as light as the touch was, it caused his head to roll to the side.

Zoro’s head began to fill with fog. His hands trembled slightly as he fiddled with the blond’s jacket.

“Dammit, dammit dammit,” he muttered repeatedly, struggling to get them all undone quickly. Damn idiot and his suits. It was doing nothing but frustrating him more than he needed to be and already was. It felt like years, but he finally got enough unfastened to reveal enough of the pale chest. 

Zoro cringed outwardly at the wound. It was surrounded by an angry red. But that wasn’t the thing that startled him most. It was the purple branching from the hole. Venom? Hastily, he wrapped his arms around the cook’s upper body and started dragging him, working his body the rest of the out of his thready confines.

“Come on,” he mumbled, hating how his voice was pitched an octave higher.

He kept dragging the blond until he was able to prop him against the closest tree. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.” Not that he thought he was going anywhere. Zoro was only gone for less than a minute as he retrieved his discarded blade and replaced it in its sheath. Then he was back at Sanji’s side.

He crouched, placing another hand to the blond’s face, cupping it and forcing it to look in his direction. With the other, he peeled his eyelid halfway up, only to be met with milky white. “Hey, wake the hell up,” he demanded, nearly slapping his cheek this time. Still nothing. He didn’t hear or see any breathing. Zoro swallowed thickly, fighting nausea. “Come one...you better not,” he growled, now fully striking Sanji. His limp head snapped in the other direction with the force. The hit did nothing but cause the other to slump even more.

With a deep, shuddering breath, the swordsman bowed his head and leaned forward until his forehead touched the other’s. His eye was starting to sting slightly, but he refused to acknowledge it.

“You fuckin’ imbecile.”

He exhaled slowly, breath hitching as it exited. He had to get back to the ship, had to get them both back to Chopper. Zoro staggered to his feet and slipped his hands under the lifeless form, one behind shoulders, and the other under his knees. 

The moment he stood, he felt sick at the way Sanji’s head hung back, nothing to support it. It really was like he was… Zoro tightened his jaw and shook his head. As if he had learned nothing from before, he was running. Every fall of his foot had the blond jostling in his arms. On instinct, the swordsman pulled him in just a little closer, keeping his body as still as possible. He didn’t know if there was a point in doing so, but he was desperate not to cause any other damage.

Sanji was still so cool against him. He glanced down as he ran, taking in every detail of his appearance. There was the obvious paleness, that was near ghostly, the slight blue hue, the dark circles and...the barely noticeable shine to his skin...like sweat.

Unconsciously, Zoro slowed his steps. As his brows knit. Pausing mid sprint, he stared for a moment. It was definitely a sheen of sweat that coated the blond’s features. 

Zoro’s next breath was trapped in his throat. Carefully, almost fearful to do so, he lowered his head and placed his ear against the chef’s exposed chest.

_ One. _

_ Two. _

_ Thr- _

_ Ba-dum _

Zoro almost let out a relieved, dry chuckle at the faint sound. But, he had to press his head down more, making certain he heard right. Sure enough, given enough time, there the sound was again. The swordsman tossed his head back with an audible sigh. He could almost cry -  _ almost. _

His legs suddenly weakened and it took all he had not to drop to his knees right then and there. D-Did he actually think...that for a second? He had to clear his throat to dislodge the lump. But, this didn’t make things that much more reassuring. His heartbeat was steady, but it was dangerously slow.

When Zoro glanced back to the blond’s face, he gasped, nearly dropping him as his own heart skipped a beat or two.

Sanji was looking at him. Or, he thought he was. His eye was partially open, his blue iris a mere sliver. “S-Sanji!” he exclaimed. There was a small ‘Thank God’ thrown somewhere in there was well, but he hoped that part went unnoticed. “Hey, can you hear me?”

Sluggishly, like it took real effort, the other’s eye floated over to look at him. As soon as he was in the blond’s field of vision, there was a low, throaty moan that followed. His lips didn’t even tremble. He tried again, but only a sound similar managed to make its way out. After the third attempt, the blond’s eye finally snapped opened as a wild mix of fear and realization swirled in the bright orb.

“W-What’s wrong?” Zoro asked, knowing full well the other wasn’t capable of replying. “Does it hurt?”

Again, only a stream of groans and moans reached his ears. It was hard to tell if Sanji was even aware of what was going on. By the panic in his gaze, he would have to guess not. He was quite obviously distressed, and yet he was as still as could be. His head was even still hanging back, and-

Then it clicked.

Zoro looked to his chest again. Other then the gaping wound, he could very subtly see the chaotic rise and fall of his chest, like he was hyperventilating. He had to look extremely closely to see it though. 

“P-Paralysis?” he whispered, wondering aloud.

It would make sense. Spiders had to paralyze their prey. Zoro’s chest - hell, his whole body -  just became ten times lighter. He was relatively alright then. Even knowing this, his pulse was still racing as his adrenaline wavered, leaving slightly shaking and out of breath. Knowing this new information, he chuckled lightly.

But, it was difficult to find the situation too humorous when Sanji still had a hole in his chest and was as utterly terrified as he was.

“Calm down,” the swordsman said loud enough to make sure he was clearly heard. “It’s only temporary.” He started walking again as the sounds began to die down in the blond’s throat at his words. Then, Zoro felt the need to add a soft, “I hope, anyway.” 

Sanji’s eye snapped to the other. If looks could kill… Then again, it was his only choice at the moment. But Zoro saw pure murder in that glare. This only made the swordsman’s shoulders shake with laughter again. Hard to take the man’s ‘threats’ seriously when he couldn’t even speak.

“Cat got your tongue?” Zoro teased.

Another light groan and Sanji averted his stare. 

As entertaining as this was, and as much as Zoro wanted to poke fun, he still had a few inklings of worry pricking at his chest. The fact that he couldn’t move likely meant he couldn’t feel either. There could be more wrong with him and the man not even be aware of it. The man was still quite pale; there was no change in his color at all. Only difference now is he was awake and sweating more.

He looked on the verge of death. He was sure if it weren’t for the inability to move, he’d be shivering. Taking a deep breath, Zoro pulled the man closer in a small attempt to keep him at least somewhat warmer. There was more of an urgency to get him back to the ship. 

“We’re getting you to Chopper, as quickly as possible. So, just hang on,” he assured. Of course, he couldn’t help himself: “Not that you have much of a choice.”

He didn’t even need words to translate the incredulousness in the blond’s eye.

“I’m not going to get lost...I know which way I came from, alright?” He watched the blue gaze look from him, then to the side. Back and forth, slowly speeding up. “What the hell are you doing?” He slowed slightly and glanced in the direction the other was looking. “Want me to go that way?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. He received a small groan. “I’ll take that as a yes then.” He sighed heavily and made a sharp turn. “You just better be right.” Or, Zoro hoped that was actually what he meant and the sound wasn’t an indication of a negative.

“If you need me to stop or need anything at all...just...I dunno grunt or something.” 

He’d prefer if they just made a straight shot there though. The faster, the better. All the while, Sanji remained limp in his arms; so far there were no signs of improvement. After a few minutes, he looked down to take a quick look and his face instantly fell.

“Hey!” he called out, jerking the blond harshly. “You sure as shit better be asleep!” The way confusion filled the man’s gaze almost made Zoro feel guilt for disturbing his slumber. But, right now, he really needed the guy to stay awake for him. “You can sleep all you want later. After we get back.”

If they even got back that night. It was at the point where he could no longer see more than a foot in front of him. With the trees as compacted as they were, not even the moon was providing enough light. He almost didn’t want to take another step out of fear of running into a tree or tripping over a stray root. It was almost pitch darkness. 

Sighing, he slowed to a stop. “Well,” he muttered, “I don’t like this anymore than you, but looks like we’re spending the night out here.” Even though he couldn’t see it, he had the pressing feeling that he received an eye roll. “I can’t see a damn thing anymore.” To top it all off, they’d have to stay out in the open.

He shuffled just a few more feet. Just until his toes touched the trunk of a tree. Gently, he laid the chef down and made sure his head was propped up as straight as possible. There were a few ignored groans of protest as Zoro fished around in his pockets. 

“Oh, shut up,” he mumbled, procuring what he was searching for: Sanji’s lighter.

He gave it a couple flicks before a flame sprouted up, providing a meager light. It would have to do for the time being. As soon as the warm light bounced off Sanji’s face, he could see just how drained he looked. It looked worse with the orange hue.

“I’ll be right back, I’m gonna get some wood,” Zoro informed. Though, he didn’t see a need to tell the blond anything he was doing. He was gonna do what he had to do anyway.

It took no time to locate a few logs which he wasted no time in lighting. Within a couple minutes, they had a fire and Zoro slipped the lighter back in the chef’s pocket. 

“Thanks, I guess you are good for somethin’ after all.”

Sanji seemed to pretend he didn’t hear that. Instead his eye flicked towards where Zoro just placed his lighter. He basically did the same thing he did to tell the man what direction to go, and anyone that knew the man even half-decently knew exactly what he was asking.

“What, you want the cigarette to just sit in your mouth or something?” the swordsman ridiculed. “In your state, it’s just going to fall out of your mouth and in your lap.”

The blond let out a long, drawn out groan. If Zoro didn’t know better, he’d say it sounded awfully close to ‘asshole’.

Instead of retorting to the blatant insult, he scooted closer and moved to sit directly in front of the cook. “Sorry in advance,” he warned a moment before his fingers prodded the area around the wound. At first, the other showed little signs of discomfort. But, as the touch got closer, the blond breathed in sharply. The breath was accentuated by a pained whimper. “I need to take a better look at this.” Without warning, he inserted his finger. Gently, of course. His mouth tightened as the hole dug in at least a few inches. The diameter had to have been about a couple. Bones were undoubtedly broken as the flesh was pierced. In fact, he was sure he felt a coupe of them.

It was fortunate Sanji was as numb as he was, otherwise Zoro knew for a fact he’d be in a lot more pain than he was showing. As he pulled away, there was a small stream of blood that came with it. It wasn’t much, but more than before. To be fair, even a drop would have been more. 

Curious, Zoro placed his ear back against the blond’s chest.

_ One. _

_ Tw- _

_ Ba-dum. _

Heart was thankfully faster. He lifted his head, catching the stare he earned himself. It wasn’t an annoyed look. More like...a fascinated one. “What?” he asked. “I was checking your heart rate, don’t get any ideas,” he said, sharply. 

Zoro made his way back to the other side of the fire, keeping an eye on the blond the whole way. He still didn’t know what was with that damn look of his. It was bordering on the same way he looked at the girls: soft. It made his skin crawl. Why the hell was he looking at him like that? There was no way in hell, not a single iota of a chance…

“Get some sleep,” Zoro ordered. “I know I said not to, but I changed my mind.”

Sanji was hesitant, but there was nothing else to do to pass the time. He exhaled heavily and let his eyes slide shut. Zoro, however, kept his gaze locked on the man, his chest uncomfortable tingling from the inside.

What the hell was with that idiot?


	3. Developing Feelings

_ He was hot; he was burning from the inside. _

_ Sanji’s entire body felt as though it were scorching from its very core. The ringing the pain caused in his ears wasn’t quite deafening enough to drown out the wails that surrounded him. He could put each and everyone to the person they belonged to: Zoro, Nami, Luffy, Chopper; every one of them were crying out in nothing less than agony. _

_ The blond tried to open his eyes, he had to get to them. Panic quickly started to well up from the pit of his stomach when his eyelids refused to budge. They felt weighed down. _

_ He swallowed thickly, an action that only lit a fire in his throat. The realization finally set in, his arms weren’t moving either. Nor his legs. Nothing...nothing was moving. His heart was banging in his chest, which only made everything hotter and heavier. _

_ ‘Dammit.’ His chest was constricting, heart pumping more lava through his veins. Soon enough, his breaths were frantic. They barely had time to enter his lungs before they were forced back out. He was already feeling dangerously light-headed. And, even as his head swam with the threat of unconsciousness, he could hear his crewmates’ screams dying out, one by one. Th-they were dying; they were dying and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. _

_ The last one he heard was Zoro’s blood-curdling cry before he was cut off in something that resembled a strangled gasp. _

* * *

 

Sanji’s eye snapped open, only to be filled with red-hot flames.

His chest was trembling with the speed of his pulse. The blue gaze darted, back and forth as he opened his mouth, but his throat merely released a croak. It felt so dry, roasted even. 

The chef’s worries were quickly escalating when his arms and legs still wouldn’t listen to him. He squeezed his eyes shut when the remnants of his friends’ screams continued to reverberate in his skull. They taunted him, continued to beckon for his help and he still couldn’t convince his body to cooperate with him.

Limbs tingled with the effort to budge. What the he-

Sanji’s breath completely hitched as hands grabbed down on his shoulders, like he was being constrained. He tried to yell at his attacker to let him go, but only groans agreed to come out. 

“Sanji!”

His collar was grabbed and his whole body lurched forward. The sudden movement jostled his head, and it took everything he had to keep it from lolling back.

“Dumbass! Get a hold of yourself, will ya!?”

The lithe man slowly began to really pay attention to his surroundings: fire, trees, grass and… ‘Zoro’, he tried to say. Well, something sounded out, but it didn’t sound much in the way of names. He looked to the amber orb staring at its oceanic counterpart. He looked into the man’s eye and then gradually followed one of his arms until he found the hand resting on his left shoulder.

A large bead of sweat ran down the back of his neck and he was reminded of how hot he still was. Not to mention how bone-dry his mouth and throat was. At least his racing heart was beginning to steady. But, it only regained some of its speed when his body shifted again, pulled closer to the swordsman. The blond mop of hair fell against the man’s bare chest, in such a way he could hear his own heart beats. Sanji let out a shaky exhale as he focused on that until he felt as though his own matched.

“It’s alright,” Zoro whispered, his breath brushing over the golden locks.

He knew he was alright, deep down, he knew. But the leaden sensation throughout his entire body was giving him a concerns. He breathed in deeply, held it for a couple seconds, then slowly huffed it back out. The fact that it carried a small whine with it made him internally cringe. That was unintentional.

They stayed in this position for a couple minutes more before Zoro finally moved the cook away, much to the latter’s disappointment. “You good now?” he asked. Sanji didn’t know which he was more shocked by: the fact that the swordsman had just  _ hugged  _ him, or the genuine care that his voice carried.

“Y-eah,” he managed to work out. It wasn’t much, but it sure beat just moans.

The swordsman slowly propped him back against the tree. It wasn’t until then that Sanji really saw the environment around him. One glance up and he could make out a little bit of light sneaking their way through.

Zoro looked at him for a moment, eyeing the man up and down. “How ya feelin’ now?” he asked. No way in hell did he miss the couple of half words the cook managed to get out. “Getting more feeling back, I assume?”

It was subtle, but Sanji’s head slightly moved in what appeared to be an attempt of a nod. However, it was the pained, ghost of a wince that followed that had his worry rising. 

“Does it hurt?”

That blank, slightly dull stare seemed to unfocus while he mulled it over. Then, as if it were just an afterthought, his attention dropped to his chest just as his breath faltered. “Ye-ah,” he rasped. “L’il’bit.”

Zoro looked back to it just in time to see fresh crimson spill over. He guessed with feeling and warmth returning to the blond, it was no surprise the wound would be bleeding more. It was probably best to do something about it now before it got too serious to handle. Only problem was he had nothing to bind or pack it with. Nothing sanitary anyway. All they had were their clothes, his swords and...fire.

The swordsman swallowed his sudden nausea. A part of him felt it was necessary. It probably wouldn’t be long before the blood would start flowing at a faster rate. On top of that, he wasn’t sure how much farther they had to go to get back to the ship. Then again, Sanji just admitted that it was painful; cauterization was sure to do anything  _ but  _ ease the discomfort.

Still, if he didn’t do it now and he had to later…

He breathed out slowly with the sense that a headache was starting to form. Glancing back up, his mind was made up for him as another crimson trail flowed down the man’s chest. Zoro shook his head as he stood, already unsheathing one of his swords.

“We need to stop the bleeding before it can get too bad,” he muttered. Blue orb flicking from Zoro’s gaze to the sword, he noticed the flame that danced in both. His eyes widened as the intention dawned on him. “Don’t give me that look, it’s now or we wait until you can feel it more, and I doubt either of us would prefer that.”

Sanji’s face twisted slightly. A couple pitiful groans got out before Zoro heard a soft, slurred “‘R’ou i-sane?” His breaths were actually coming out quicker.

“Sorry, can’t understand ya,” the swordsman shrugged. Immediately after, he had his blade heating in the fire. “I’m not gonna sugarcoat it, this is gonna hurt like hell. Or, maybe a little less than hell.” His eye never left the metal as it gradually lit itself into a warm glow. He could almost hear the sword’s pained singing.

“You ready?”

The other man was visibly trembling now. It was hard to see, and mostly in his head and shoulders, but definitely there. He was practically drenched in sweat. Though, both of these were difficult to tell if they were from his nerves or the fever he without question had begun to develop. 

If that were the case, then blood loss on top of everything else was definitely something they didn’t need. He knew he was no doctor, had no idea if he was even doing the right thing. However, as far as he was concerned, it was the best option.

Zoro crouched next to the chef. Even he could feel the heat wafting up from his blade. “Alright...just keep your attention on me, and it won’t be that bad.” Either out of trust, or literally no other option, Sanji looked right into that golden orb as his body stiffened as much as his numb muscles would allow. There was no hesitation; it was already drawn out as long as either of them could bear.

The second the metal touched the cook, he gasped in sharply. The breath stayed caught in his lungs. His one visible eye was wide and quickly glossing over. Somehow, he forced himself to stay awake, but a battle could be seen waged in his expression. It definitely was not an easy one to conquer from what the swordsman could tell.

“S’op.”

It was so quiet, Zoro could barely make it out. Even so, he was surprised enough to see the slight movement of the blond’s lips.

Zoro yanked his sword away in a split second. “You good?” he questioned, free hand resting on the cook’s cheek. He tilted his head slightly to make the man look straight at him. Air staggered out of his lungs as his stare slowly became more clear. His mouth twitched awkwardly and Zoro could only assume he was trying to clench his teeth.

“Hey,” he tried again, giving the smaller man’s face a few light pats. “Sanji, are you alright?” he asked again. There was a pang in his chest when he noticed the veil of fear when Sanji finally looked back to him.

“I-I’m sorry, but I didn’t want it to start bleeding to much. We’re about to start moving again, and I know for a fact walking will make the wound act up.”

The blond looked at him for a few moments, his gaze never wavering. Then, as best he could, he moved his head as much as it allowed. Zoro supposed that was close enough to a nod. Luckily, he managed to get half the puncture sealed. He’d try his best to get the rest done just as quickly if not faster.

Just like the first time, Sanji fought not to pass out. But, the swordsman was there to act as his anchor until the worst of it was able to pass. It took longer than the first, and Zoro flinched at every miserable whimper that climbed its way out of the cook’s throat. He gave him all the time he needed, or as much time as he felt comfortable with. They were still in somewhat of a hurry.

“Still with me?”

Sanji’s head lolled, until Zoro’s hand was completely supporting it. “Uh-huh,” he hummed, eyes slowly blinking closed. “M’ere,” he mumbled. He struggled to get his eyes back open, it kept pulling back down, but he eventually got it to stay pried.

“Good, we need to get moving soon. You still remember which way to go?”

The blond’s eyes slowly moved from one direction to the other and he offered another odd nod. “Mmmhmm. T’mah r-ght,” he tried to explain. He just hoped Zoro could understand him well enough.

Fortunately, the swordsman at least looked in the right direction, which was already more than Sanji could have hoped for. “Let’s get going then, and we can see if Chopper has anything to speed up this whole paralysis thing.” It’s already been over twelve hours and the toxin had only let up a small amount. “Come on.”

Same as before, Zoro lifted the man bridal style, letting Sanji’s head rest against his shoulder to keep it from rolling all over the place. “How long of a walk is it?”

The chef hummed in thought. “I’uho...tah, thrah ‘ours?”

“Two to three hours?” Another head movement. “Well, guess we can half that then.” Before Sanji could so much as ponder what the guy meant, they were off. Sanji’s eyes widened from the sheer surprise of it. The damn idiot was bound to get them caught in another web at the reckless pace he was trying to pull off.

In silent prayer, the blond had his eyes shut. It was either from his growing anxieties of Zoro getting them into more trouble rather than out of it or the jolts of fire that was radiating from his wound with every step. 

Zoro glanced down in time to see Sanji’s face contorted in discomfort. He just realized he had the man’s chest pressed uncomfortable against his own. There wasn’t much he could do, but he would have been able to keep the cook’s mind off his misery at the very least. Slowly, a sly grin krept onto his face. “Hey, you know, I’ve been curious about something for a while now.” He glanced quickly back down to see that blue eye slightly cracked open and staring up. “I’ve been wondering, and dying to see for myself, just what you look like with both sides of your face uncovered.”

If it were even possible, the other’s face whitened more. “W’at?” he whined, only getting his head to turn about an inch before it flipped back against the swordsman.

Breathing in deeply and releasing it all out at one, Zoro blew the tuft of blond off Sanji’s eye, pushing it to the side and putting his full face, in its entirety, on display. For the first time since meeting the man, Zoro saw two widened orbs. The shock of it was just enough to make the man freeze in his steps.

His eyebrows.

Well, he already seen both of them at different points, but never both at once. A slight red hue rose to Sanji’s cheeks and his eyes darted to look off to the side.

“I-I honestly...don’t know what I was expecting,” Zoro mumbled under his breath, feeling a heat teasing his own face. He cleared his throat awkwardly and started running again. For a while, he didn’t so much as flick his attention towards Sanji. But, he couldn’t keep his mind off the man, even if he tried.

They went on for another hour. If Sanji was right, then it would be any moment now that they’d reach the end of the forest. They were finally about out of this hell. “You sure it’s this way, right?” 

Another nod.

‘Good.’ He would have hated if he came all this way just to find out he was going in the wrong direction. “You still holding up down the-?” he finally looked down again, forgetting the state he left Sanji in. His hair was still brushed to the side, and he even still had his attention elsewhere. “Th-There?” he finished, acting like he hadn’t missed a beat.

“F’ne,” the blond replied. His voice was a tad clearer now. Not to mention, shivers running through him were easier to make out, as was the tension in his whole body. He looked absolutely exhausted, more so than Zoro felt.

Just as the swordsman looked back up, he felt the sigh leave him before he was aware of it as the treeline came into view. 

“Would ya look at that?” he chuckled unwittingly with his relief. Then remembered the other could barely move, let alone look for himself. So, Zoro gave his arm a quick flick, just enough to make Sanji’s head shift. “We’re almost there.” With salvation in sight, the swordsman felt comfortable enough to finally slow his pace. If he were honest, part of the reason being was him being thoroughly out of breath. After running for over an hour straight and functioning on barely any sleep, his body had about had enough.

It was only another twenty minutes for him to breach through the border of trees and cross the beach and finally make it to the hull of the ship.

“Hey!” he called up. “A little help down here?”

Within a few seconds, Zoro stepped back as a ladder unrolled. “Sorry about this,” he apologized as he maneuvered the blond until he was supported with just one arm. The blond breathed in sharply as his wound was jostled, and now the swordsman could easily feel and hear Sanji’s pained pants. He could even make out his increasing pulse; still slower than it should have been.

It was a struggle with only one hand, but Zoro soon got both of them over the rail. He only got a step onto the grass before he dropped Sanji on his back and then rolled over onto his own. He craved nothing more than to just pass out and take a nap for a few days.

But...there were more pressing matters. He was about to say something before Robin’s surprised gasp beat him to it.

“What happened?” she asked, already crouched next to Sanji, hands hovering over the wound on his chest.

Zoro sat up slowly, dragging his attention only to be reminded of the cook’s hair once again. Nearly choking, he quickly reached over and brushed it haphazardly back into place. “Giant spider…” he sputtered out.

“What?”

The swordsman waved a hand. “It’s uh, a long story. Where’s Chopper?” he asked, helping to drag the cook to lean against the railing. “Sanji’s paralyzed, he can’t move. Other than that and…” he gestured to the hole in the man’s chest, “I think he’s relatively alright.” He huffed out and straightened his back, eliciting a few pops and cracks. “Or, I’m sure he will be.”

“Chopper and a few of the others went to gather some herbs. They left shortly before you did.” She looked to the forest. “I’d assume they’ll be back shortly.”

Zoro was barely listening at this point, too busy draping one of Sanji’s arms over his shoulder as he began dragging his limp body. “Alright, I’ll go ahead and get him in a bed. As soon as Chopper gets back, send him in.” He didn’t listen for a reply. And if there was one, then he didn’t hear it. The man just made a beeline for the infirmary and instantly deposited the cook onto the closest bed before dropping himself on another.

Damn he was tired. He closed his eye with a deep sigh. Now that he was lying down, it all hit him at once. All the complaints from his body and mind. He tried to fight it as long as he could though, wanted to. But when the light snore started to sound from his left, he found it increasingly difficult to resist. The bed was so comfortable, and definitely beat sleeping on that cold, hard ground. And there were no more threats of spiders.

Yeah, a nap sounded pretty inviting right about now.


	4. Idiot

Zoro’s eye twitched in annoyance; there was shuffling. Which, normally he could tolerate such things. But, the part that became too much was when the shuffling stopped next to him and he felt prodding on his arm and then his chest.

“Wha…?” he questioned groggily, voice raspy. He nearly jumped when he was greeted with the beady eyes of their doctor. Eyes that had a glint of concern in them.

“Stay still,” he instructed as he continued his examination.

However, the swordsman fully ignored Chopper’s request and swatted his hoof away from his arm. “I’m not the one needing medical attention,” he grumbled, raising his other hand to rub tiredly at his eye. He stifled a yawn and looked over the reindeer’s shoulder, finding Sanji exactly where he left him. Clean gauze now bound his chest and there was an IV hanging, leading to the crook of his arm.

The blond’s eyes were open, the one visible one directed right at him.

“So,” Zoro sighed, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. “H-How is the idiot?”

Before Chopper could get a word out, the ‘idiot’ replied. “M’right ‘ere, ya’know.” His voice was still slurred, but a lot more clear than it had been, thank God. Zoro didn’t have to struggle to decipher what the man was trying to say. “A’d M’fine.”

There was a subtle movement coursing up the cook’s arm, leading the swordsman's attention down to his hand. A scoff left his throat when he saw Sanji flipping him off again. “Real mature…” he ground out. His hand reached to rub the back of his neck and he looked back to the actual expert. “Chopper?”

The small crewmate nodded with a small hum. “Right. Well, you already knew about the paralysis thing and the puncture wound. Thankfully it wasn’t too deep and missed any vital organs. So, no internal bleeding. Only issue that caused was a few fractured bones.” He pranced back over to the other bed and fiddled with the bags of saline. “A bit dehydrated, and a slight fever from his body trying to fight off the toxin.”

It wasn’t anything overly complicated, so it didn’t take anything out of the ordinary to treat. I already had some things mixed that did the trick.” He appeared rather pleased with himself at that. “Pays to be prepared. But, it will still take about another day before he can move completely again. Better than a week though!”

Chopper chuckled nervously to himself at that bit.

“A-A week?” Zoro repeated in mild disbelief. His mouth remained partially open.

“Mmhm. This particular kind was rather potent, I take it’s from the size of the spider more than anything else.”

The didn’t make the man feel any less shocked to hear about all this. “But...he’ll be fine?” he asked.

Chopper nodded. “Yup! He would have been fine if we just left him until it wore off on its own, really.” Then his face fell. “Zoro?” he waited until the man responded. “Did you try and cauterize the wound? I noticed some burns along the wound.”

“Yeah, I wanted to make su-”

“You idiot!” the doctor cried, striking Zoro on the back of the head. “Were you trying to give him an infection!?”

Zoro hissed in sharply and reeled back. “H-Hey! Let me finish! Damn, I was just trying to keep the dumbass from bleeding to death! How the hell was I supposed to know what to do. I knew the wound would bleed more, so I burned it while he was still mostly numb.”

Chopper sighed deeply and bowed his head. “You’re right, I wouldn’t expect you to know any better. Luckily there’s no sign of infection, but it will leave quite the scar. Though, I think that’s not a bad tradeoff. 

Sanji’s breath shuddered and his teeth grit as another wave of pain seemed to wash over him. He turned his head towards Zoro, glaring daggers. And yet, despite his obvious frustration, there was still a tinge of pink across his cheekbones. There was a nagging in the back of the swordsman's head that told him that wasn’t from any sort of slight fever.

“Did that ta’me fer nothin’,” the blond mumbled, turning to stare back at the ceiling. 

“I don’t remember seeing you trying to stop me,” Zoro joked.

Sanji’s brow twitched, as well as his eyelid. “I couldn’t ya’jackass!” Shakily, and arm flailing a bit in the process, he moved the limb to rest on his chest, just over the white bandages. His fingers gripped lightly.

“I’ll get some pain killers,” Chopper offered, disappearing for only a second. Seeing as the chef was still mostly paralyzed, he didn’t trust him to ingest anything orally without choking on it. The medicine was injected quick and painless directly in the IV tube.

Almost instantly, Sanji’s features softened and his fingers uncurled. There was a sigh of contentment to follow.

“Try to get some rest and I’ll let the others know everything is fine,” Chopper informed and swiftly made his leave, in a haste due to his excitement.

Sanji waited until the doctor was gone before speaking. “Really, you couldn’t even stay awake until he got here? Thought I was dead and gave me a pleasant wake-up call.” He didn’t seem to notice his words finally coming out almost perfectly clearly now.

“Same could be said about you. You were out long before I was.”

The blond said nothing. His hand moved from his chest and back to his side. It was moving awkwardly and it took Zoro a moment to realize he was trying to get it under the cover. “Sonuva…” he muttered when his attempts were in vain.

After a couple minutes of such a pitiful spectacle, Zoro finally had enough. “You want your cigarettes, right? Swear, you’re easier to read than a book.”

“To you, I bet damn near everything is easier than that.”

Zoro smiled slyly at that. “You know what, get the things yourself it you wanna be like that. Really, if this is how you treat the man that saved your ass.” He watched as his words sank in and Sanji stopped his internal fighting with himself.

“Y-Yeah...about that…” Just like that, the brightness of his cheeks increased. He bit his bottom lip, clearly mulling things over. “Thanks, about that. Fucking hate spiders.” He shivered at the thought. “For a moment, I thought I was a goner.” He said it so casually, Zoro wondered if he was even being serious.

Huffing out, the swordsman finally got up. “Here.” he reached under, ignoring the cook’s mortified mask and his stiffening muscles. It took him no time to fish out the pack of cigarettes and lighter. He took one from the bunch and stuck it between the cook’s lips and lit it soon after. “We should probably sit you up as well so you don’t get a mouthful of ashes.

The whole while, Sanji hadn’t said a word. 

“I guess it’s the least I can do for...you know, everything else you do…” Now the tides have turned and it was he who was flushed in the face. “By the way, I don’t think you look ridiculous with the eyebrows and all. I mean, they’re weird as hell, don’t get me wrong, but they’re nothing to get all shy over.” His heart was racing; why was he saying all this?

Sanji still wasn’t looking at him, likely just as embarrassed now. This whole situation was awkward. Why did he have to be here, like this? If Zoro was trying to confess or something, then he sure picked the worst time possible to decide and do it.

“Look, what I mean is, you’re not that bad, alright?” the swordsman finished, dropping to sit on the edge of his bed. “But, I still don’t want you and your perfected ass to get any ideas. You still get on my nerves, understand?”

The blond still said nothing, but he blew out a steady stream of smoke. “So, what you mean is, you find me physically attractive? Am I getting that right?”

Hearing the man’s inhale cut off sharply was in and of itself plenty of an answer for the chef. “W-What?”

“Stop pretending, mosshead, I saw the way you were looking at me out there, when you looked at my face against my will. You couldn’t look away. Hell, you almost dropped me”. He cleared his face and cut his attention back over. “The look you gave me… Well, I’d be lying if I said I was completely revolted by it.” In fact, he rather liked it, and kind of didn’t want the man to look away. But, also it was humiliating at the same time. It was weird, he didn’t know what to call it.

“Look,” Sanji started again, “about yesterday...before I left the ship. About what I sai-”

“No,” Zoro cut off. “You were right.” He took a deep breath. He didn’t know which hurt more: admitting that he found the cook’s looks appealing or that he was admitting that he was wrong. Well, he was already on a roll, so he may as well go with the flow while he was at it. “If you didn’t remember the way, we’d both still be out there. And, if I were alone, you know what I’m saying.”

The cook just smiled to himself. “Yeah, I think I know what you mean, crystal clear. If it weren’t for me, your ass would be lost. Big surprise.”

“Don’t push it and keep in mind why you’re here right now.”

Sanji weakly waved a hand, one that instantly fell back to his side with a ‘thump’. “Yeah yeah, I already thanked you.” Another stream of smoke drifted from the corner of his mouth just as a clump of ashes fell to his lap.

The swordsman was swiping it instantly. “If Chopper finds out you were smoking in here, we’re both dead and all that was for nothing.”

“I’m about done anyway,” Sanji muttered, the insinuation already clear, but he explained anyway. “You’re gonna have to remove it or else I’ll just end up dropping it and catching the place on fire.” Within a minute, he was finished and Zoro plucked the cigarette away and disposed of it. Not a moment too soon either as the door opened and their resident doctor re-entered.

Chopper’s nose twitched and his brows furrowed.

“Sanji!” he exclaimed, stepping around to the bed in order to stare his patient down. “You know you’re not supposed to smoke in he-” he blinked, glancing around. “Oh…”

Zoro laughed lightly. “What do you expect, the guy always reeks of the stuff. I wouldn’t be surprised if he contaminated everything he came into contact with.” The reindeer looked from one to the other with skepticism, but just hummed in acceptance.

The small creature sighed and shook his head. “If you say so. Zoro, you’re free to go. Sanji...obviously you have to stay here. I’m sure you don’t need to be told why.”

“How could I forget?” At least it was only for a day…

* * *

 

With nothing to do, the afternoon dragged on, as did the evening as it painstakingly transitioned into night. Sanji was getting antsy; he could still barely move an inch. All he could do was count the seconds, in time with the clock.

_ Tick. _

This was already boring.

_ Tock. _

By the second, he was losing his sanity.

_ Knock _

It was already so repetiti-

“Hmm?” he hummed, loud enough for his visitor to be heard.  He was welcomed with the creak of the door and the entering of moonlight through the sliver.

“Still awake?” Zoro asked, voice a husky whisper.

The blond rolled his eyes. “Nope, sound asleep.” He slowly craned his neck until he caught sight of the swordsman, who now had the door opened wide enough to lean against the frame.

Quietly, clearly in an attempt not to wake the sleeping doctor nearby, he strolled in. Each step placed carefully, heel first as the rest was rolled into. “I know you’re sick of lying there. You were from the moment I woke.” It was like the man was in his head; almost scarily so. “So, time to get up.”

Sanji raised an eyebrow. “Just what are you up to?”

“Shut up and come on.” The brute of a man scooped one arm under the cook’s shoulder and helped him to sit up, gently removing the IV tube with the other. Next, he got him sitting on the edge, though he was still completely supported by Zoro’s arm. “Careful,” he muttered, as Sanji was lifted until his feet were on the floor. His arm was firmly wrapped around the other’s neck, and together, they took a few steps. Well, Zoro took steps, the blond was more or less dragged. He tried though. He could at least manage to shuffle every few steps.

The moment they were outside, Zoro cast his meager stealth skills to the wind. Quite literally as the breeze rushed by, ruffling both of their hair. Sanji let out an audible sigh as the coolness caressed his features. His head leaned back and he straightened himself a bit the best he could.

“Here,” the swordsman muttered, lowering the both of them onto the bench. He said nothing as the blond’s body instantly lolled when there was no longer anything to hold him upright. His head fell to the side, right on Zoro’s shoulder.

The latter glanced down, knowing that if he really wanted to, Sanji had enough feeling back to sit up.

“Getting better?” he asked, noticing the blond’s moved one hand to his lap, almost without effort. 

“Slowly.” He took a deep breath, taking his time relishing in the the crisp night air. He wasn’t sure, but it felt a lot easier to breathe hear than it had on other islands. He had no doubt the oversized trees had everything to do with it. “Hey, so I wanna know,” he muttered, subtly pulling himself closer to the other - he couldn’t help it though, the man gave off a welcoming warmth, “what made you go look for me?”

Zoro stiffened. That’s not the question he had quite been expecting. “You were taking too long…” he replied. Even to himself, that didn’t sound the least bit convincing. And he could feel the suspicious stare upon him.

“I’m being serious. Why?”

The swordsman cleared his throat, and to Sanji’s surprised, he actually tightened his hand around his far shoulder. “I don’t know. I guess...I guess I was worried.” He coughed dryly and turned his head the other way. “I acted like a dick earlier, and I wanted to apologize. Is that what you want to hear? That I was a dumbass?”

All he felt was a trembling run through his arm. “Hey, you alri-” he swiveled his head back towards the blond. His head was lowered as tremors continued to wrack his form. “A-Are you laughing?” His face heated for about the third time that day; that was already three too many.

“N-No,” Sanji choked out, voice tight. “Just...never thought you’d actually acknowledge the fact that you are indeed a dick. Was that your apology then?”

Zoro inhaled deeply and huffed it back out with a frustrated growl. “Of course not.” He was still reluctant, rolling his tongue in his mouth as he searched for the right words. “Sanji, I’m sorry for being so...hardheaded...and sorry I get so defensive and say such stupid shit. There, that’s my apology now. Good enough?”

The swordsman flinched when a cool hand draped over his - the one wrapped around the cook’s shoulders. Fingers weaved between his and held on tightly, surprisingly so. “Yeah, it’s perfect.”

Sanji leaned more into Zoro’s warmth until his hair was tickling against the man’s neck. There was nothing else for the swordsman to do other than return the grasp and lean his own head on the top of the blond’s. Suddenly, he was feeling quite tired again. He yawned, taking his other hand to run his fingers through the cook’s hair, who instantly leaned into the touch.

“Thanks again...for coming after me,” Sanji murmured, voice again a slight slur. “I knew there was...a reason...I…” He never got to finish his sentence, but Zoro was pretty sure he already knew what he was thinking.

As the blond drifted into blissful slumber, the other turned his head and offered a small, light kiss to the top of Sanji’s head.

“Yeah, love ya too… idiot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, only one day and one fic left for this week. ;w;


End file.
